Finding a home on the business side of art, design

By Michael Souza PBN Staff Writer

As the director of marketing and new-business development for Union Studio in Providence, Emily Hall is responsible for brainstorming marketing strategy and finding new clients. The work is part of the ongoing evolution of the Rhode Island School of Design graduate and her interest in the business side of art and design, she said.

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BUSINESS WOMEN

Finding a home on the business side of art, design

GUIDING HAND: Emily Hall, Union Studio director of marketing and new-business development, has risen through the ranks to get where she is today. She is pictured with Union Studio principal Douglas Kallfelz.

As the director of marketing and new-business development for Union Studio in Providence, Emily Hall is responsible for brainstorming marketing strategy and finding new clients. The work is part of the ongoing evolution of the Rhode Island School of Design graduate and her interest in the business side of art and design, she said.

Hall was brought onboard in January 2011 to help the company with its rebranding. Formerly known as Donald Powers Architects Inc., Union Studio’s name change required a new website, new designs and a new logo.

“That was a big part of the last year,” she said. “The new name and look had to suit our identity well, and I think it does that.” In her new role, Hall is responsible for developing new business, identifying new opportunities, handling proposal responses and heading up award applications.

Hall holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and studio art from Colorado College and a master’s degree in industrial design from RISD. She’s now working toward an MBA at the University of Rhode Island.

So how does one transition from two art degrees to an MBA?

“It’s an odd career trajectory but it actually makes sense,” she said.

After college, her first job was at the O’Hara Gallery in New York City, where she was the director of the contemporary art program. She held the position for three years before deciding to concentrate on creating art rather than supervising its display. As a result, she landed in Providence, at RISD.

At Durkee, Brown, Viveiros & Werenfels Architects in Providence, Hall was hired as a receptionist, but the company saw her desire to grow. After eight years there, she was named director of marketing and business development, named an associate with the firm and assisted with graphic design.

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